Growing Together
by MisunderstoodMind
Summary: Having survived the fight for democracy, Tom and Sasha must now learn how to be a couple once again. For Sasha that also means meeting his children so that I can become we - allowing them to become us
1. Chapter 1

**Because we need more Tom/Sasha fics and surprise this one won't be M-rated! ;) Thanks V for beta-ing again, giving me ideas and listing every day to my crazy Tom/Sasha fangirling!**

 **A/N: Sasha and Tom will speak Russian. (thanks V for that idea!)**

 **Translations:**

 **Davay zhe, Sashka. = C'mon Sasha!**

 **Tom! Uzhe v prodazhe! = Tom, get out now!**

 **Perestan'te byt' miloy.= Stop being cute**

 **Ya lyublyu tebya, Sashka./Ya tozhe tebya lyublyu = I love you Sasha / I love you, too**

 **Feedback as always is highly appreciated!**

It had been six weeks since they had arrived in St. Louis, six weeks since they had found out what was really been going on at home whilst they had been in Asia. Six very long weeks since they had taken down the regional leaders, along with Alison Shaw, before reinstating Howard Oliver as President. Since the final showdown, everyone had been working flat out to restore a semblance of normal order to the country, bringing down the regional border walls, and ensuring food supplies were reaching those in need.

It had taken Sasha nearly a month to settle into life in St Louis, and her new job as Head of naval Intelligence, an unexpected promotion. Though Tom Chandler had recommended her highly for the post, POTUS has been only too happy to appoint her in recognition for her services in rebuilding the country. Ever since that day he made her chief, Sasha had been working hard on forming a new team and moving the equipment from the old Headquarters in Maryland to St. Louis. She was determined to have everything set up and running within a few months so she had no choice but jump into her new job from the beginning. Meanwhile Tom had adjusted back into his role as the CNO and started to rebuild their armed forces and the national security. Tom's and Sasha's relationship continued to grow slowly even with their increasingly busy schedules they always managed to make some time for lunch or coffee at least, savoring the opportunity to simply be together.

But this week it was different.

All that had changed when the shipment of files Sasha had been waiting weeks for arrived from Maryland. Determined to have them sorted by the end of the week, Sasha had been working nonstop, but felt as if she'd made little dent in what seemed an ever increasing pile!

Despite an early night, morning felt like it still came too soon, and Sasha felt run down, exhausted – like she was coming down with something. She got home late that night with a bad head ache and sore throat so didn't surprise her when she woke up the next morning with a nasty cold. She knew that she should stay at home and rest, but she couldn't allow herself to take a sick day, because she knew that the amount of work that she had to do would at least double itself.

When she saw her pale face in the mirror that morning, Sasha knew that if Tom would see her he would probably physically drag her home and put her on bed rest until she would be fully recovered. She started to avoid him as best as she could while she she hoped he was too busy to stop by her office.

By the end of the week, Sasha felt considerably worse, and had reached the point where she desperately needed the day off. Her headache had reached a point where she could no longer think clearly, and felt her nose was running like a tap!

Hot bath, bed, sleep Sasha thought to herself as she tried massaging her temples in a futile attempt to relieve the throbbing in her head.

 _10:29 pm_

She checked her watch and she could swear that she heard her mind begging her to finally get home and rest. "10 more minutes." Sasha promised herself as she took a deep breath and lifted her head up again, but the moment the cool air of her office had made contact with the back of her throat she started to cough badly. "Damn it!" She muttered as she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried to block out the pain in her head.

 _Maybe I should call Tom to pick me up…_ Sasha thought and for a moment she was about to pick up her phone, but then she thought about his reaction so she told herself to forget about it.

At the same time Tom had just pulled up into the parking lot of the Naval Intelligence Headquarters and as soon as he had killed off his engines he looked up to the third floor where Sasha's office was. He had a smile on his lips when she saw the dim light through the curtains.

 _Just like old times,_ Tom shook his head as he recalled one of those night where he had picked her up from the academy library. He had picked her up countless times After many late evening study session but there was one night that was burned into his memory. It was the night they'd been intimate, their first night that they made love and the night that made him realize how much he actually cared for this woman who was so much younger than he was. For a moment Tom was lost in his memories as he recalled every tiny bit from that night.

 _Maybe we can replay that night,_ Tom had a smirk on his lips as he got out of his car and into the building. He nodded at the security guards and then he made his way up to the third floor and over to Sasha's office, where carefully knocked on the door.

"Come in." Sasha raised her voice, but immediately started to regret it as she was now coughing even more.

"Jesus, Sasha! You look like crap." Tom couldn't stop his comment the second he saw her sitting at her desk with her skin paler than usual, her nose was red and her usual sleek dark hair was a mess. "Wow, Charm school did taught you well, huh? You must've been top of the class with such a smooth line." Sasha replied sarcastically once her coughing has finally stopped. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm serious." Tom ignored her question as he walked around her desk to get a better look, it was then when he saw her red eyes and by the way she looked at him he was sure that she must although have a fever.

"I can see it now, Tom Chandler Top of the class, famous for flooring all the girls by telling them they look like crap." Sasha said while she watched him leaning against her desk with his back as he folded his arms in front of his chest. "Did they give you a diploma?" She tried not to laugh as she knew how it would end for herself, but the moment she saw Tom's serious expression she couldn't stop herself and started to laugh, which caused her to cough yet again. She reached for her cup and took a sip from her tea which was now cold.

"You should go home and rest." He said, concern colouring his tone

"I'm fine. It's just a cold. Nothing some tea and sleep can't fix." She looked up at him.

"Besides I have work to do." Sasha motioned her head at the file in front of her. "Damn it!" She muttered as she moved her head a bit too fast and her head ache returned. So she lowered her head and started to rub over her temples again.

"Sasha!" Tom's voice was low and she knew that he was warning her not to push it. "And who is going to sort this out? It's not like the files will do it by themselves just because I'm sick." She replied as she tried to ignore her throbbing head ache as she heard Tom taking a deep breath.

"Stubborn as always." He shook his head in disbelief. "Says the man who never follows the "take it easy" speeches himself." Sasha retorted as she slowly lifted her head to face him again. Their eyes locked and for a moment neither of them said a word as they both looked into each other's eyes. While Tom could see the exhaustion in her usual crystal blue eyes Sasha could tell that he was worried about her well-being.

It was Tom who broke the eye contact as she pushed himself away from her desk, but then he turned around and crouched down beside her chair as he took her hand.

"How about I bring you home, you'll take a nice hot bath while I make you some tea and then we get into your bed?" Tom looked up into her eyes with a look that told her not to argue with him.

"The last bit sounds tempting." Sasha replied with a soft smile as she placed her free hand onto his cheek. "But no kissing. The CNO and the chief of Naval Intelligence both sick with a cold would surely raise a few eyebrows." Sasha added when she felt him leaning into her gentle touch.

"I'm sure that my body could handle some of your germs." Tom replied playfully. "Charming, really charming Tom. I'm sure your teachers were proud." Sasha rolled her eyes as she slowly lowered her head towards Tom's.

"So are you going to show me that Charm School diploma?" She asked when their lips were at the same level, but instead of answering Tom reached for the back of her neck and pulled her in for sweet and gentle kiss.

"Let's go." Tom's voice was barely above a whisper when he left her lips and Sasha nodded while Tom got back to his feet. "Do you need anything?"

"Just my purse on the couch." Sasha replied while she got up from her chair a bit too fast as she felt her head starting to spin and she suddenly felt dizzy. "Wow." She breathed as she grabbed a hold on her desk.

"Are you okay?" Tom asked as he quickly went back to her and wrapped his arms around her waist to support her.

"Yeah." Sasha took a few deep breaths. "I was just dizzy. Let's go." She added as she leaned in to Tom's supporting arm and then they both left her office.

10 minutes later they had made it safely over to Sasha's apartment and the first thing she did was kicking off her heels. "You'll make yourself a cup of tea and I'll run your bath understood?"

"Aye, Aye." Sasha mocked him while she walked past him into her kitchen to do what he had told her too.

A few minutes later Tom entered the kitchen only to find Sasha sitting at the counter her head buried in her arms, her cup of tea in front of her.

"Hey don't fall asleep yet your bath is waiting." Tom placed a hand on to her back.

"Why can't I just go to bed?" Sasha asked hoping that he would just let her go to bed, even though she knew he wouldn't let her.

"Because you'll feel better after you've taken your bath. I've added some eucalyptus now let's go." Tom wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her off the bar stool. "Davay zhe, Sashka."

"Speaking Russian won't get your anywhere." Sasha commented dryly as she once again leaned into his arms while he walked her over into her bathroom. Once they were inside he closed the door behind them and leaned against the door watching her. "Are you going to stand there and watch the whole time?" Sasha asked after she had taken off her blazer.

"Someone has to watch that you won't fall asleep and drown." Tom told her firmly

"Tom! Uzhe v prodazhe!" Sasha pointed at the door behind him.

"Seriously? It's nothing I haven't seen before." Tom replied with a grin on his lips as he recalled the many times that he had seen her naked.

"Perestan'te byt' miloy. And it's going to become something that you'll never see again. If you won't leave." She glared at him.

"Fine." Tom shrugged as she could tell that she was getting annoyed by his carrying act and he knew that if he would continue she would probably throw him out. "But if you aren't out of the bathroom in 15 minutes I'll come and get you." He added and then he left the bathroom and over to wait for her in the living room.

A good 15 minutes later there was still no sign of Sasha so Tom decided to go and check on her, but before he went into the bathroom he went into her bedroom and grabbed a pair of pajamas from the closet. He figured that he would be save by bringing them with him just for the case if she would still be annoyed by his act.

"Sasha?" Tom asked opening the door just a bit and to his surprise she was already out of the bathtub and wrapped in one of her fluffy towels.

"Come in. I just need my…" Sasha stopped when she saw her pajamas in his hand. "Thanks." She smiled and took them out of his hand. "So I take it you're feeling better?" Tom asked his voice soft and calm. "A bit." Sasha nodded. "I'll be out in 5 so maybe you could head over and warm up the bed for me?" Tom just looked at her for a few seconds as he tried to ignore the double meaning of her suggestion.

"Okay." He nodded with a smirk that made Sasha roll her eyes. "Jesus, Tom! Take a cold shower."

Once Sasha got into her pajamas and brushed her teeth she turned off the lights in the apartment and then she went into her bedroom where she found Tom already lying on her side of the bed. Neither of them said a word as Sasha crawled in to the bed. The second her body was covered with the blanket she felt Tom's arm wrapped around her waist.

"When is your first briefing tomorrow?" Sasha whispered into the dark with her eyes focused on where she believed his eyes would be.

"Not until 11. We have plenty of time to sleep in." Tom's voice was low and barely above a whisper and Sasha could feel his breath tickling the skin around her lips so she figured that she was looking into his eyes even though she couldn't see them.

"I was thinking…" Tom stopped as he felt a little bit unsure about his timing for the topic. "…while you were in the bathroom… You know this would be a lot easier if I could take you to my house instead of your apartment." He stopped again and Sasha realized where this was going. "So uhm… what do you say about meeting my kids. I mean if you feel better and uh… if you're up for it and if they would like to meet you." Sasha could feel her heart skip a beat fast the second he had finished his sentence.

A smile formed on her lips and she was sure that even though it was pitch black dark in the bedroom Tom was able to see it because she heard him exhaling a deep breath of relief.

"Yeah, I would love to finally met Ashley and Sam." Sasha replied and then she felt Tom removing his hand from her waist and placing it on to her cheek. "Ya lyublyu tebya, Sashka." He whispered as he leaned in closer towards her lips. "Ya tozhe tebya lyublyu." Sasha whispered back when their nose touch and then she leaned in for a soft good night kiss.

 **TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Thank you for all the nice reviews and thanks again to Vicky for being my beta reader!_**

The next morning Sasha's senses gradually began to kick in as the warm morning sun softly touched her pale skin. Slowly, she woke up from what felt like her first deep and peaceful sleep in ages, knowing that she didn't have to get out of bed and head to work. Even though her head was feeling a bit better, Sasha kept her eyes closed and enjoyed the moment of silence as her mind started to replay the moments of last night. She recalled just how sweet and tender Tom had been, despite her stubbornness and her continued mocking of him. When he had later asked if she wanted to meet his children, it made Sasha realize just how serious Tom was about their relationship.

It was a few days after they had made it back to St. Louis when Tom had opened up to her and told her about the time after Darien's death and his feelings for Rachel. He had told her that he had spent a great length of his first 5 months in St. Louis working through his grief and the he was now ready to move forward and build up something new with her. Since that day Sasha wanted to ask Tom if she could meet Ashley and Sam, but she never brought up the topic by herself, because somehow she was afraid that it would be too soon for his kids and too fast for Tom.

She was afraid that she would push him into doing something that he didn't want to do at least for now. She was afraid that if she would ask that things would go down just like they did over a decade ago when Tom had asked her to settle down with him. She still remembered the day when he had brought up the topic during dinner, at first Sasha thought that he was just testing the water, looking how far she was willing to go with him, but then she realized that he was serious about taking the next step in their relationship so she did what she thought was right at that point in her life. Having just turned 22, Sasha had been light years away from settling down and starting a family. She had other plans and wanted to have that career that she had already worked so hard for she wanted travel and see the world. Most of all she wanted to have a life of her own before she would be able to settle down and become a wife and mother She still remembered the pain she felt that night when she made the decision that it would be the best for them to go separated ways from now on. Even though she loved him from the bottom of her heart, she wasn't willing to give up her life and dreams just to be with him. But at the same time Sasha didn't want Tom to give up his wish to settle down, so she did what she thought was right.

Now, years later, she had a different view, she had grown up, had a career in the Navy and a life on her own before the pandemic had hit. Even though she had never completely forgotten Tom she had found love again and she learned the hard way how fragile and short life and love could be. Even though she wasn't the kind of woman who start to think that the universe had brought them back together again, she somehow started to believe that there was a higher power that had given them a second chance even though the circumstances hadn't been ideal. It was second chance that she was willing to take and to do whatever it would take to make it work because she still loved him.

A violent sneeze brought her back to reality, so she slowly opened her eyes and looked around for the tissue box on her nightstand, but as soon as she had her eyes opened an saw the bright morning sun shining into the bedroom her throbbing head ache returned again. _So much for feeling better,_ Sasha thought as a long groan escaped her lips while she dropped her head back into her pillow, causing her head to spin.

"Damn it!" She muttered while she covered her eyes with her hands before she pinched the bridge of her nose.

For a few minutes Sasha laid on her back as she tried her best to ignore her throbbing head, her sore throat and her spinning head while she silently cursed her cold in every language she knew. Once she felt that the spinning started to fade she slowly rolled over onto her side where she expected Tom would be but to her disappointment he wasn't close enough. Sasha was afraid that the spinning in her head would get worse again, so she kept her eyes closed as she reached out and started to pat down the mattress looking for Tom's warm body so she could snuggle up against him and fall back asleep with him, but she only found an empty space and cold sheets next to her. For a split second Sasha felt the panic rise and she almost started to question her sanity when she heard a rattling noise coming from the hall.

 _Kitchen,_ Sasha exhaled a breath of relief as she slowly opened her eyes this time giving them some time to adjust to the sunlight. She was a bit surprised when her head ache wasn't as bad as it was a few minutes ago, but she still didn't want to jinx it so she slowly crawled out of her bed. Once she had reached edge she sat down for a few seconds before she got up. After Sasha had taken her first step towards the door her head started to spin again so she quickly reached for the bedpost to steady herself. She lowered her head to take a few deep breaths while she waited for the dizzy feeling to fade again. It took a few minutes until she was feeling better and even though she had thought about staying in bed and wait for Tom; she was determined to sneak in to the kitchen surprise him. So she carefully lifted her head up and walked over to the door and once she had managed to open it without making any noises Sasha tip toed out of her bedroom, down the hall towards the kitchen. She had to stop herself from entering the kitchen as she saw him standing by the counter only wearing a pair of black boxers. So she leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms in front of her chest while she watched him fumbling around with her automatic coffee machine. After a few minutes had passed Sasha noticed the tension in his body language and she could tell that he was getting frustrated by whatever he was doing to her beloved coffee maker. So she decided that now was the best time to sneak in and pull him out of his Captain vs. Coffee maker situation. Sasha quietly tip toped over to the counter while she silently prayed that he won't notice her presence until she had wrapped her arms around him and then the second she had him within reach Sasha wrapped her arms his firm body. At first she felt him tense under her soft touch but the moment she had placed her hands onto his chest she felt him relax again.

"Hmm, good morning." Sasha whispered against his skin as she trailed a series of soft kisses across his shoulder. "I thought we wanted to sleep in." She added once she had placed her head into the crook of his neck and cuddled herself up against him.

"Morning." Tom turned his head and kissed her cheek before he focused back on to the automatic coffee machine that was still giving him troubles. "I thought we agreed that you would stay in bed today?"

"And I thought the man who brought the cure to the world and fought China's president would be able to make coffee on his own." Sasha couldn't help but tease him as she watched him pushing the same button again.

"Not if you need a scientific degree just to turn that damn thing on." Tom sighed frustrated and she felt him tense under her hands again as let out a soft chuckle.

"Maybe you should try and read the manual which is in the drawer over there or you could do something totally crazy and ask your girlfriend to show you how this awesome thing works." Sasha had a grin on her lips as she tilted her head so she was able to look into his face.

"Please?" Tom asked giving her his cute puppy stare that made her sigh.

"Fine, I'll show you. First off all you need a cup." Sasha said as she removed one hand from his chest and reached up and got a cup for him out of the board above the coffee maker. "Then you have to put it under the spout and then…" She stopped after she had placed his cup under the spout of the coffee maker and took his hand into hers. "You turn it on by pushing that button up here." She explained while she led Tom's hand to the top of the machine where she let him push the button. "Then you'll wait until she's ready and then you turn on the rotary switch until the word coffee appears in the display." Sasha stopped again and thought about spelling the word coffee for him, but then she figured that it would probably be too cheeky so she continued. "And now you can push that button in and voila you have a cup of freshly brewed coffee." She smiled not only because the coffee maker suddenly came to life and started to fill the room with the aroma of fresh coffee, but although because she was happy that her voice was still working even though her throat was still sore.

"You are enjoying this, aren't you?" Tom asked when turned his head and noticed her grin and the sparkles in her blue eyes. "I am." Sasha shrugged as she let go of his body and walked around him to stand between Tom and the counter where she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down for the tender good morning kiss she had been waiting for since she woke up. The moment Tom felt her lips against his he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer towards his body deepening their kiss. When they parted again for some much needed air Sasha placed her head onto his chest and closed her eyes as she listened to the steady beat of his heart, content to just enjoy the simple pleasure of being with the man she loved.

"I take it you're feeling better?" Tom broke the silence as he was still holding her in his arms.

"Not really." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she felt like she couldn't ignore her head ache anymore.

"Then why didn't you stay in the bed? I thought you would take the day off." Tom murmured softly.

"Cold, alone and bored." Sasha muttered against his chest hoping that he would get the message and stop talking so she could go back to listening to the comforting sound of his heart beating again "You should get back to bed." Tom told her while gently brushed his hand through her silky hair on the back of head.

"Don't want to. Have to get to work." Sasha replied even though she knew that with the state she was in, she wouldn't get done anything, if she would make it to work in one piece.

"Sasha." Tom sighed. "Nothing is wrong with taking a sick day. You do know that you don't have to proof anything to anyone because everyone already knows that you're a strong badass woman. I know that I can't tell you what to do, but you should take the day off, besides…" Tom stopped as he Placed a finger under her chin, making her look up at him. "I would feel a lot better if you would stay at home and rest."

"Fine." Sasha resigned her protests because she knew that Tom was right.

"Then let's get you back to bed." Tom said and then without a warning he lifted her up in his arms and carried her back into her bedroom where he carefully set her down on his side of the bed.

"So what do you want for breakfast?" He asked her once he had her tugged in. Sasha remembered yesterday's lunch where she had a tuna sandwich that thanks to her cold tasted like she was eating a cardboard, so she was about to tell him that she wasn't hungry. Knowing that Tom wouldn't let go and would most likely force her to eat something she had to come up with something.

"Pancakes, the dough is in the fridge." Sasha replied quickly as she felt her eyes grew heavy within a few seconds.

"Pancakes it is." Tom smiled and then he bended down and placed a soft kiss on to her forehead.

"Don't fall asleep." He whispered against her skin as he had noticed that Sasha was struggling to keep her eyes open. He was about to leave the bedroom when heard her again.

"Thank you for taking care of me." Sasha's voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper.

"You're welcome, love." Tom smiled and then he headed back in to the kitchen to prepare their breakfast.

For the next 5 minutes Sasha tried her best to stay awake as she kept on telling herself that she could sleep for the rest of the day after Tom had left. 10 minutes later Tom went back into the bedroom to check on her and ask her if she would want coffee or tea, but Sasha had already fell asleep. For a few minutes Tom stood next to the bed and watched her sleep. She was lying on her side curled up in the blanket, facing the door with her eyes closed and she a soft smile on her face as she took slow and steady breaths. He ought to wake her, whilst her breakfast was still warm, but he couldn't bring himself to disturb her dreams, so he head back into the kitchen where he quickly cleaned up and placed the pancakes into the fridge. Once he was done he got dressed and ready to head out for work before he checked on Sasha again. She was still asleep so he wrote her a note that he placed on to her nightstand before he placed a soft kiss on to her forehead again and then he left for work.

 **Before you leave,** **Feedback is as always is highly appreciated!**


	3. Author's Note

Author's note DELETED

I heard that some of you, who already left a review on my previous Author's note, can't review on my chapter 3. So I'll repost it as chapter 4 to give you the option to review again.


	4. Chapter 3

_**I heard that some of you, who already left a review on my previous Author's note, can't review on my chapter 3.**_

 _ **So this is just a repost to give you the option to review chapter 3 aswell.**_

A few hours later Sasha had already been up for a couple of minutes before she rolled over onto her side where her eyes landed on a neatly folded piece of paper that leaned against the front of her alarm.

 ** _Sasha_**

Sasha found herself staring at her name that was written on front of the paper and then she heard Tom's voice ringing through her head, calling her name.

 _Charm school did teach him well,_ she smiled to herself while she remembered his not so charming comments last night at her office. She had just lifted her hand and was about to reach for the letter when she suddenly felt a pang of guilt hitting her right into her stomach. _Shit, I promised to stay up for breakfast,_ Sasha dropped her hand again as she buried her head into her pillow while her mind oddly started to play around with the idea that she might have upset him by falling asleep while he was preparing breakfast for her.

"Tom isn't like that and you know it." She told herself, her pillow muffling her still hoarse voice. Taking a deep breath to calm her whirling thoughts, had Sasha inhaling Tom's scent that still lingered on her pillow. Breathing in his scent relaxed her and prompted happier memories of the mornings events.

 _Maybe I should draw him a manual,_ she grinned into her pillow as she recalled the moment where she caught him making coffee with her wonderful coffee maker. The way he tensed and got frustrated at the machine while she was secretly watching him form the doorframe, it was kind of cute to witness the man who had saved the world, acting like this just because of a cup of coffee. It amazed her that even though he had no idea how the coffee maker worked he was still determined to complete his mission and make coffee. Her reasons for stepping in and putting him out of his misery weren't just to get close to him, but to save her beloved coffee maker, which Sasha was certain would've met its end at his hands.

The grin on her lips turned into a soft smile again as she remembered the feeling of his warm skin against hers and the comforting sound of his heartbeat while was holding her in his arms as he told her to stay at home and rest. She always knew that Tom cared for her a lot, probably more than he would admit, even though his soft for her had never been much of a secret, but the past 12 hours let her realize just how deeply he cared and felt for her.

Last night he could've dropped her off at her apartment and left to be with his kids, but he choose to stay and make sure that she would take a bath and rest. This morning he could've sneaked out of her apartment while she was still asleep but he choose to stay and make sure that she got everything that she need and that she would stay at home.

Sasha took another deep breath as she slowly lifted her head up again while she reached for the piece of paper that Tom had left for her on the nightstand. Once she had picked it up she found herself staring at her name again before she carefully traced over his handwriting with her fingertips and then she slowly unfolded the paper.

 ** _Sasha,_**

 ** _Sweetheart, I know I should've woken you before I left but you were sleeping so peacefully and had that beautiful innocent smile that I love so much on your lips, I didn't have the heart to wake you up. And I_** ** _'_** ** _m hoping that sweet smile means you're feeling better. Your pancakes are in the fridge and I left you a thermos flask of tea in the kitchen. I'll be back for dinner to see how you're doing._**

 ** _And I meant it last night, I'm serious, Sasha. I want us to be together and I want you to become a part of my family. So take it easy and rest I'll see you tonight._**

 ** _I love you,_**

 ** _Tom_**

"It's real." Sasha reassured herself as she once again traced her fingertips over the letters he had handwritten just for her and then she started to reread it again, just to make sure she hadn't missed the part where he had told her that she had upset him. After that she found herself staring at Tom's unmistakable neat handwriting again. Sasha was about to check the letter again for any hints of disappointment, but then she shook it off, knowing how ridiculous her fears were. So Sasha carefully rolled onto her back and then she suddenly felt a huge smile spreading over her lips as she started to feel like she used to feel as a teenager on that day were she had received her first love letter from the boy she'd had a secret crush on for months.

 _It's real,_ she told herself again as she noticed a feeling in her stomach that she thought she would never experience again, not after everything she had been though with the pandemic. At first she couldn't really pin point it, but it felt so good that she wished it would never stop. It was that kind of feeling that made her smile even though she was still feeling like crap thanks to her nasty cold. It was a feeling that made her want to hug the world and tell everyone how happy she was to have Tom in her life. It was the feeling that made her want to dance through her apartment while singing to one of those cheesy love songs that she had hidden on her iPod.

She felt loved again.

Before the letter Sasha knew that Tom loved her, because he had admitted it plenty of times while he was holding her, but this letter was worth more than just those three words from his lips because she knew that he had taken the time to write it for her. Once again it made her realize just how lucky she was that after all those years apart, that after all the heartbreaking loses they had been through they were still able to rekindle their feelings for each other. The feeling to be loved by Tom gave her an unbelievable boost of energy that made her forget about her cold so without thinking about it twice Sasha quickly sat up and was about to get out of the bed.

"Damn it!" Sasha breathed when her head ache and dizziness brought her back to reality and she realized that she was still down with a cold. She immediately reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, while she tried desperately to come with a plan to get out of the bed and make it at least to the kitchen without feeling dizzy or worse, passing out. For a short moment she had the idea to curl up in her blanket and wait for Tom to get back and have him carrying her over to the living room, but then after she had checked the clock of her alarm she realized that staying in bed wasn't an option. She still had at least three hours to kill until he would be show up and that would only happen if he was able to leave the White House on time.

Knowing that she had no choice but to get out of the bed and somehow make it to the bathroom and the kitchen on her own, Sasha shifted as carefully as possible over the mattress until she had reached the edge of her bed. Once she had placed her feet onto the wooden floor of her bedroom she sat up and waited for the dizziness to fade away again, before she finally pushed herself up into a standing position. She blindly reached for Tom's letter and then she slowly walked over to the door as she was afraid the dizziness would return.

It took her around 15 minutes to get everything that she could possibly need in the next few hours set up on the coffee table on her living room before she was finally able to make herself comfortable on her couch.

After she had curled herself up in her blanket Sasha turned on the TV, but after she had zapped through the few channels that had been back online she felt her head ache return so she turned it off again. She poured herself a cup of tea and was about to pick it up to drink when her eyes landed on the letter again. _It's real,_ a smile formed on her lips as he picked it up to read it again and then she found herself looking out of the window as her mind slowly drifted back when they met again in Asia.

 _Tom Chandler Handsome, smart, noble to a fault and the most stubborn sailor you'll ever meet._

 _And tell him, as I recall, there was one sailor who was even more stubborn and could break your heart without breaking a sweat._

Sasha had no idea for how long she had been looking out of the window, but when a violent sneeze brought her back to reality her eyes landed on the book that she had picked out before she had settled herself on to the couch.

 _The Notebook_

Even though it was one of her favorite romantic/drama novels she hadn't read it in over a decade, not only because she was so damn busy with work and saving Asia and America, it was although because it somehow always reminded her of her relationship with Tom. It wasn't the storyline itself that made her think of Tom, it was because he had given it to her for her birthday. Back then she thought it was cheesy but after she had finished reading it, Sasha started to see the bigger picture of their relationship and even though they always had their differences she always hoped that they would end up growing old together. So after she had broken things off with Tom she buried the book alongside with her memories in the back of her closet and started to pretend that they never existed. But now things were different again and she was pretty sure that they could grow old together if his kids would accept her.

 _What if they don't like me?_ It shot through her head followed by multiple versions of how Ashley and Sam might react to her and how Tom could handle the situation if they wouldn't accept her as their Dad's new girlfriend. Her head started to spin as she started to map out every possibility that she could think off and then Sasha suddenly wished that she wouldn't have agreed so quickly to meet them, even though she wanted to get to know Ashley and Sam she was afraid that they would reject her. Sasha opened the book and tried to get rid of her worries by reading, but after the first few pages she stopped and picked up the letter again.

 ** _I want us to be together and I want you to become a part of my family_**

She didn't know why but rereading those few words gave her the reassurance that she needed that at least Tom wants to be with her and that they somehow will make it. Once she had set her mind at ease again she picked up the book and then she was finally able to get lost in the storyline. After a few chapters Sasha realized that it had been ages since she had time for herself so she actually started to enjoy being down with a cold, especially because she knew that Tom was taking care of her.

Sasha lost track of time as she felt herself getting drawn in to the beautiful but sad story of Noah and Allie, so she jumped a little when she heard the front door.

 _Finally,_ Sasha sighed while she closed the book just in time when Tom stepped into the living room.

"Hey." She whispered with a smile on her lips as she watched him placing a paper bag on to the coffee table.

"Hey, do you feel better?" Tom asked as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on to her forehead.

"A little." Sasha replied her voice still a little raspy, as she reached up to cares his cheek.

"You look better." He pointed out as he stepped and stripped off his jacket.

"It looks like someone took an extra class at charm school today." Sasha couldn't help but laugh which of course made her cough badly again as she watched him heading over into the kitchen area where he got two spoons from the drawer.

"I asked Bacon to make you some chicken soup." Tom replied ignoring her charm school comment completely while he reached into the paper bag and then he handed her a container before he pulled out his own.

"Thank you." Sasha smiled as she placed her container onto the table and then she shifted a bit so she could sit up and make room for Tom to sit down next to her. She had just removed the lid of the container and was about to pick it up again when her eyes once again landed on Tom's letter. So instead of picking up her steaming hot soup Sasha took the letter and then she turned her head to look at Tom.

"Thank you." Sasha's voice was barely above a whisper as their gaze met and for a moment it seemed like they had both forgotten that they were about to have dinner as Tom placed his own container on to the table before he reached out to brush a strain of her Mahogany colored hair out of her beautiful face.

"You don't have to thank me for telling you the truth, Sasha." Tom replied as his hand lingered on her cheek while he gently traced his thumb over her cheekbone. "I want us to be together and you do have beautiful smile when you're asleep."

"I do?" Sasha asked playfully while she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Yes and it's something I would love to wake up to every day." Tom nodded with a smile on his lips. "Hmm, I think we can arrange that." She replied leaning forward to kiss him, but then Tom stopped her.

"But there's one thing that kind of bothers me…" he trailed off.

"If this is about MY coffee maker you can save that speech because it will stay with me." Sasha told him firmly, but Tom only shook his head. "It's something else…"

"Which is?" She asked as she pulled her head slightly away, a suspicious expression on her face as she raised one of her perfectly shaped dark eyebrow at him.

"Well…" Tom shrugged as he took a deep breath. "You snore."

"I do what?" Sasha asked in disbelief. "You might want to rephrase that line, Cowboy." She warned him as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

 _Thin ice, very thin ice,_ Sasha glared at him. "I do NOT snore!"

"Sasha..." Tom started but she immediately silenced him as she started to lecture him about the fact that she doesn't snore.

"I don't snore it's very simple. I never did and even if I would, which I still don't do, it is because of the damn cold and because I can't breathe prop… seriously, Tom? Don't do that! That's not fair!" Sasha rolled her eyes when she noticed the cute grin on his lips. It was the same stupid grin that made her fall in love with him in the first place, that grin that made her realize that even though she wanted to be mad at him for accusing her of snoring, she wouldn't be able to hold her grudge up for much longer.

"What? I didn't do anything!" Tom raised his hands up in defense while Sasha still glared at him but then she shook her head as her expression softened again. "Just stop being so damn cute when I'm trying to be mad at you."

"So can I explain or will you rip my head off?" Tom asked carefully knowing how quickly she could change her mind again. "That depends on what you're going to say."

"Fine." He replied and Sasha could've sworn that she heard a nervous sigh before he continued. "You do snore, Sasha. But…" He noticed that she had already opened her mouth to protest again so quickly continued. "But it's really not that bad. You don't sound like a chain saw. It's more like a…" He stopped for a split second as he tried to come up with something that wouldn't piss her off.

"You know." Tom shrugged. "It's like purring kitten. You sound like a cute purring kitten." He explained with a sly grin on his lips hoping that his explanation would safe him from more trouble.

"A cute kitten?" Sasha asked as she once again raised her eye brow suspiciously.

"Yep." Tom nodded as he cupped her right cheek with his left hand. He was half expecting for Sasha to slap his hand away, but then he saw a soft smile appearing on her lips. "A very beautiful kitten with blue eyes and dark hair."

"Nice save." Sasha was still smiling as she leaned into the palm of his hand, allowing herself to enjoy his soft touch for a few second before she felt his hand slip from her cheek to the back of her neck where gently pulled her in for a soft kiss. Almost instinctively Sasha wrapped her arms around his neck to keep his head in place while she allowed his tongue to slide between her lips to deepening their kiss. It was the sweet feeling of his lips pressed against hers and his tongue dancing with hers that made her forget that she was still sick and a little worried about her future.

"You should eat your soup as long as it's still hot." Tom told her the moment he managed to get some space between their lips.

 _Smooth move,_ Sasha couldn't help but roll her eyes. _Is he serious?_

"You know in the pre pandemic world there was this heath study that proofed that kissing is actually pretty healthy and it would help the sick person to feel better." She pointed out playfully while her arms were still wrapped around his neck as drew small circles with her thumb on to his skin. "So unless that has changed now or you want me to feel like crap again and listen to me snoring, even though I don't do such things, I suggest we continue what you have just stopped." Sasha bit her bottom lip while she looked directly into his beautiful blue eyes where she actually saw that Tom was thinking about her suggestion for a brief moment.

"As much as I would like to continue this… you should have dinner before it gets cold. A warm soup is just as healthy as kissing." Tom replied, knowing that she wouldn't like his point of view and that he was risking getting his head ripped off again.

"No fun." Sasha pouted, even though she knew that he was right and that she was being silly she was still sure that making out with Tom would be more effective against her cold than some lame chicken soup. So with a long sigh Sasha removed her arms from his neck and wordlessly reached for her container on the table.

"So about last night…" Sasha was the one who broke the silence that had set in the moment they started to have dinner. "Are you going to talk to your family?" She asked once she had finished her soup and had placed her empty container back on to the table.

"I will. I actually planned on talking to them when I get home later. Why are you asking?" Tom asked and then for a moment he had the strange feeling that Sasha might have cold feet and would ask him to wait, but then she shook her head. "Nothing. I just wanted to be sure that I dreaming it."

"I meant what I said last night." Tom told her firmly. "I want Ashley and Sam to get to know you when they're ready to let someone new in. I will talk to them tonight and if they're okay with it you can come over and meet them as soon as you're feeling better."

"And if they don't want anyone new?" The question flew out of her mouth before she was able think about it and Tom could tell by the tone of her voice that was worried. "You shouldn't worry about that because I'm sure they want to meet you." He tried to calm her down, but Sasha wasn't listening as she playing nervously with her hands while mind started replay the possibilities of Tom's kids disapproving her.

"But what if they don't want me? I mean they could see me as a threat or I don't know… hate me? What will happen to us?" Sasha asked ignoring him as she got more and more terrified by the idea that what he was about to do would might be the end of their relationship.

"Sasha." Tom said as he took both her hands into his own. "Look at me." He told her, his voice was calm but it still took her a few seconds to lift her head and look into his eyes.

"Don't overthink this. We're taking this one step at a time. After everything that had happened we all need time to grow together as a family. And I'm not going to say that it will be easy because honestly I don't know how they'll react when I'll talk to them, but Sasha we're in this together. We'll take it slow, one step at a time and we'll find a way to make this work." Tom stopped as he let get of her right hand and placed his finger under her chin to keep her eyes focused on his. "And whet ever if you like it or not I want to be with you because I love you and I will not let you go this easily."

Sasha stared into his eyes as she tried to ignore the annoying game that her mind was playing with her, because she knew that he was right and that he was telling her the truth. She could see in his eyes that he meant everything single word that he had just said. She knew that they were in this together and that he won't let her go, but hearing it from his lips gave her the reassurance that she needed so badly.

"I just don't want this to go wrong….again." She admitted her voice still filled with emotions. "We'll make it work." He reassured her again and then Sasha managed to form a soft smile on her lips.

"I love you, Tom." Sasha whispered before she leaned in to place soft kiss on to his lips, knowing that somehow they will make it.


	5. Chapter 4

**_Thank you for all the nice reviews, faves and follows!_**

 **Thanks Vicky for being my awesome beta reader!**

"So are you really going to tell them about us?" Sasha asked again when Tom came back into the living room with his coat. Even though he had reassured her repeatedly over the last few hours, Sasha couldn't help but worry if his plan was really such a good idea.

"Sasha." Tom sighed as he slipped in to his coat as he walked over to the couch "We've already talked about this." he said, pulling her blanket over her slender body as he knelt down in front of her, taking hold of one hand as he cupped her cheek with the other. "Don't worry about it." Tom said soothingly, as he caressed her cheek gently as he drew her in for a soft kiss.

"Okay." Sasha agreed even though she already knew that she would spend the night worrying about their future together.

"So, you got everything?" Tom asked as looked over his shoulder to once again check the coffee table.

"You do realize that I can take care of myself?" Sasha asked him raising her perfectly shaped eyebrow at him.

"I do. And you know that nothing is wrong when your partner takes care of you while you're sick." Tom pointed out with a grin, noticing the cheeky smile that usually meant she was deliberately challenging him

"My partner? I thought you would be my nurse." Sasha replied playfully, Tom swore he could hear a note of disappointment in her voice as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Is that what they taught you at charm school?" she sassed back.

"You're unbelievable." Tom laughed, hearing her use the Charm School jibe once more. "Will you ever let it go?"

"Nope." Sasha simply shook her head. "I like it." She was still smiling as she pulled him in for another kiss. It was slow and tender, something they didn't want to stop and it made her realize that his plan was a good idea no matter how it would turn out.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." Tom asked when their lips parted and gaze locked again, his voice was low as his hand still lingered on her cheek as he traced his thumb over her cheekbone.

"I thought you were leaving?" She asked after a few seconds had passed.

"I am. I just need a little something for the night." Tom replied not leaving her out of sight as he leaned in for another sweet kiss.

"Good night, Sweetheart." Tom murmured against her lips and then he opened his eyes only to see that Sasha's were closed.

"Good night, Tom." Sasha replied with a soft smile as she opened her eyes. For a few seconds their gaze locked as her hands slipped from his shoulders and then Tom got up to his feet again. "I'll see you tomorrow." He told as he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on to her forehead.

"I hope so." Sasha replied and then she watched him leave.

A few minutes later Tom was on his way home, determined to speak to his family about the new woman in his life, But the closer he got to home, he felt increasingly nervous about his family's reactions. Ten minutes later, Tom pulled into his driveway and parked the truck, his nerves still hadn't eased. Instead of heading straight into the house, he sat in the truck for a few minutes longer, trying to calm himself down. It didn't seem to work, as his mind continued to play out various reactions to his news, particularly from Sam and Ashley.

 _At least Dad will be on my side,_ Tom exhaled deeply, recalling how fond Jed had been of Sasha all those years ago, and how different it had been when introducing Darien to his family.

 _Darien,_ Tom closed his eyes and exhaled deeply as suddenly images of himself and his wife started to fly through his head. Tom knew that Darien would've wanted him to be happy and continue with his life, it was a conversation they'd had frequently pre-plague. Tom's biggest fear back then had been not making it home from a deployment, a very realistic possibility.

Back then Tom told her that if anything would happen to him, she should mourn his passing in her own way, but that he didn't want her grieving for the rest of her life. He told her to live her life as she saw fit, and when she felt the time was right, find someone who made her happy. That he'd only ever wanted her to be happy, with or without him, a sentiment Darien had wholeheartedly agreed with; as long as he gave her his word to do the same should anything happen to her. Darien had extracted a further promise that under no circumstances was Tom to use her loss as an excuse to stop living.

Before he knew it, Tom had lost track of time, remembering his past with Darien, and dreaming of a possible future with Sasha. So lost was he imagining that future, he jumped slightly at the knock on the truck's window, recalling him back to the present. Turning his head to see who'd disturbed his thoughts, he wasn't too surprised to see his Dad stood there, motioning for Tom to roll down the window.

"Are you going to come inside or do you want to stay in your truck for the night?" Jeb Chandler asked the moment the window rolled down.

"I needed a moment…" Tom replied as his gaze drifted up to the first floor of his house, where he saw a dim light shining through the curtains of Ashley's room. "…to think." He added as he brought his attention back to his father who was now leaning against the car.

"You're back together with her?" Jeb asked even though he sounded more like he was making a statement.

"What? With who?" Tom asked, clearly confused by his father's statement, as he tried to remember when his father might have found about Sasha. But the only occasion where he had seen them together was President Oliver's Inaugural Ball, and until Tom thought they both had done a pretty good job at being casual with each other.

"The lovely Sasha, sassy little thing isn't she?" Jed replied "I might be old but I'm not blind, son. I saw you with her at the Inaugural Ball." He explained with a grin as he watched his son's expression changing from confusion to shock.

 _Fuck, I thought we had been… Has he told the kids? What if they already know? Shit!_

"Don't worry. They don't know yet." Jeb reassured him when saw his son alerted expression. "But you should tell them and from the way I see you trying to come up with a plan."

"It's not as easy as I thought it would me." Tom admitted with a long sigh. "How would you do it? I mean I can't just tell them that I moved on from their mother." Tom asked hoping that his father would be able to advise him.

"I've never been in a situation like this, kid. You know that." Jeb shrugged. "But how about you tell them the truth? That you will always love Darien, that she will always have a special place in your heart and you still miss her, but you've met someone very special you would want them to meet. Maybe tell them something about Sasha and take it from there, I'm sure they're curious to meet someone new."

"And what would you tell them about Sasha? How should I describe her so they would actually like her from the get go?"

"I don't know." Jeb shrugged again after he pushed himself away from his son's truck. "Maybe tell them that she's very smart and that she's one badass intelligence officer who saved your ass a couple of times in Asia. Maybe they will like her if they know that she brought you back home."

"You think that would work?" Tom asked raising his eyebrow at his father's suggestion.

"Jesus, Tom! You know the woman better than I do. Figure something out." Jeb rolled his eyes as he somehow felt like that this man in the truck wasn't his self-confident son anymore. "Now get your ass out of your car and talk to them." He stepped away from the truck. "That's an order, Chandler! Get out." He hissed at his son.

"Yes, sir." Tom took a deep breath as he pushed the button to roll up the window again before he got out and followed his father in to his house. He was still nervous, but talking with his father, the tough love Jed had doled out had given him back the confidence to talk to his kids.

"Ashley! Sam" We have to talk!" Tom stood by the bottom of the stairs while his Father went into the kitchen to finish cleaning up.

"What is it, Dad?" Ashley asked as she came down the stairs, followed by her little brother.

"Do you have to leave again?" Sam asked, clearly worried that his Father would get deployed again, Despite Tom's promise that the Asia trip would be the last one for a while. Sam, despite his youth, was well aware of world events, leaving him constantly worried his Dad would have to leave again.

"No, Sammy." Tom shook his head as wrapped an arm around his son's shoulder. "I don't have to leave again. We have to talk about something else." He explained while he led them into their living room.

"Come sit." He motioned for them to sit on the couch while he sat down in his armchair next to them.

"Ashley, Sam." He addressed them both before he took a deep breath and then he continued. "You both know that I loved you Mom very much and that she'll always have a very special place in my heart, but uhm…" He stopped and ran his hands over the stubbles of his 5 o'clock shadow. "But there is a woman. I met her in Asia… she became a part of the crew and helped me to save Uncle Mike and crew from the pirates. She's someone Special that I want you to meet, if that's ok?" Tom explained hoping that his kids would somehow be able to understand what he was trying to tell them.

"What's her name? How old is she? Is she in the Navy? When can we meet her? Does she like baseball?" Sam was the first one who spoke up as he suddenly had a million questions about the mysterious new woman in his head.

"Well her name is Sasha, she's 35 years old. She was in the Navy but right now she is running the Naval Intelligence department which is a huge responsibility for her. Yes, she likes baseball." Tom explained as he felt a little relieved that this was going better than he had expected.

"Is she like a girlfriend for you?" Sam asked and Tom could tell that his son already knew where this was going. "You could say that." He nodded as his gaze shifted to Ashley who hasn't said a word as she starred at her Father with a frown.

"And when can we meet her?" Sam asked a little impatient that his Father still hasn't answered the question. "In a few days. She's not well, but when she recovers I'll invite her for dinner."

"Cool. Does she like sports?" Sam said, curious about this mystery woman.

"Yes, she's very good with martial arts. Do you still want to learn how to shoot an arrow like a professional?" Tom asked with grin as he remembered a conversation he had with son before the red flu.

"Yes, why? Can Sasha teach me?" Sam asked now clearly excited to meet his Dad's friend.

"She could teach you, but only if you ask her nicely" Tom replied, pleased at Sam's positive reaction.

"Wow! I can't wait to meet her." Sam said, happy that his Dad's friend shared his interests at least.

It was then when Tom noticed that his daughter had uncharacteristically silent and that she still had that frown on her face.

"Ashley?" Tom asked carefully.

"You never loved her." Ashley stated and she shifted her focus to the wall across the room, ignoring her father's presence.

"Ash…" But Ashley continued speaking over her father's protests

"You're replacing her because you never…" Ashley continued mutinously.

"Ashley that's enough!" Tom raised his voice causing both of his kids to jump in their seats. "Sammy, please get to your room." He addressed his son as he didn't want to hear any of his sister accusations.

"But Dad I didn't… It was Ashley…" The young boy tried to defend himself as he had no idea why he was the one who get send to his room even though Ashley made him angry.

"Just go, Sam. I have to talk to your sister… alone." Tom asked him again and this time Sam didn't complain as he wordlessly got up from the couch and left the living room.

"You're replacing her, Dad!" Ashley stated once she was sure that her brother couldn't hear her anymore. "You are replacing Mom." For split second turned her head and looked him directly into his eyes before she looked away again.

"Ashley, I would never replace your mom." Tom's voice was suddenly a lot calmer than it was before.

"But you never loved her." Ashley wailed, clearly unhappy

"Of course I loved your Mom, I still do and she will always have a place in my heart. But Mom is gone now and she would've wanted us to move on and be happy." Tom said gently, trying to keep the situation calm

"No, she would've wanted us to keep her place free so we can remember her. So we can still be the family that we used to be before the red flu." Ashley replied angrily.

"So do you really want me… no us to be lonely and miserable for the rest of our lives?" "You still have Sam and me and grandpa you wouldn't be lonely and you can be happy with us." She replied

stubbornly.

"That is not what I promised your mother." Tom shook his head knowing that he would have to her that story she would understand his situation. Because even he had planned to never tell them about their "if something happens to us"-conversations Tom knew that he had to tell her the truth.

"What did you promise her?" Ashley asked as she looked at her father and for a moment Tom thought that she was to figure out if he was lying or not.

"You mom and I we talked about this a lot, even before you were born, because you know how risky my job is. We agreed to continue with our lives that we wouldn't take it as excuse to be lonely forever. She even made me promise to find someone who make us happy again, because that was what she would always wanted us to be." Tom explained as calmly as he as he once again remembered the last conversation he had with Darien.

"But she didn't make you promise to replace her with a cheap chick you've picked up in Asia." The teen replied, still angry

"Ashley!" Tom warned her but it was already too late.

"What?" She asked him while she got up from the couch. "I don't want to move on! I don't want a new woman and I don't want a new mother because I still love Mom and I miss her! But you never loved her because if you would've you wouldn't move on so fast." She stood right in front of her father clearly angry with him.

"Sit down Ashley." Tom ordered her but she shook her head.

"No." Ashley shot back

"Listen, Ashley. All I want is that you give her a chance and get to…." Tom started but Ashley stopped him again.

"No, I won't give her a chance and I don't want her to be in this family. I want my mom back!" Ashley cried out as suddenly felt tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at Tom. "I just want her back." She added as a single rolled down her cheek.

"Ash…" Tom stood and tried to pull her into his arms, but it was already too late as she stormed out of the living room.

Tom took a deep breath in order to calm himself down as he let himself fall back into the arm chair and buried his face into his hands.

"Well that went well." His father's voice made him look up again. "Here." Jeb added as he handed his son a bottle of beer.

"Not really." Tom sighed before he took a big swing of the bottle. "Sam already likes her, but Ashley…"

"Give her time. She's a smart girl and she might realize that Sasha isn't such a bad addition to the family." His tried to reassure him but Tom wasn't listening as he got the feeling that bringing in to his family would be such a great idea after all.

"Maybe it's too soon for her." Tom replied morosely

No Tom it's not too soo, but you have to remember Ashley's only 14, and she only lost her Mom a year ago," Jed replied firmly „ What did you expect her to do... that she would throw a welcoming party for Sasha?"

"No, I just thought she would be more open to the idea of someone new." Tom replied taking another swing from his bottle.

"She will be but Ashley needs time to readjust in this new world. Like I said your daughter is smart and I'm sure she will give Sasha the chance she deserves but you have to give her the time she needs." Jed told him quietly, offering his son a reassuring smile, as they continued to share a few moments peace together

The next morning after a rather sleepless night Tom woke, noticing the bedside clock said 05:30am. After tossing and turning for several minutes, he gave up trying to sleep, got up, showered, and dressed. Once he had checked in on Ashley and Sam he grabbed his coat and left the house.

Fifteen minutes later he pulled up outside of Sasha's apartment building, and got out of his truck. Looking up to Sasha's apartment window, noticing it was dark, he pulled out the spare keys she'd given him last week. Figuring she was asleep still, he was profoundly grateful for them as he slipped the keys into the lock, opening the door as quietly as he could. Groping his way into her bedroom, not wanting to wake Sasha, he shed his coat and shoes before walking quietly over to the bed.

"Tom?" Sasha queried sleepily, just able to make out his features in the dim street lighting that poured through the curtains.

"Sorry sweetheart, go back to sleep." He replied as he walked over the other side of the bed where took off his sweater and pants before he climbed in besides her.

"What are you doing here?" Sasha asked, her eyes still half open, and groggy with sleep.

"I had to see you. Now go back to sleep." He replied, hoping that she would do as she was told even though knew her better than that, because the next thing Sasha did was sitting up and turning on the light on her nightstand.

"Thought I told you to go back to sleep?" Tom asked sitting up as well as he leaned his back against the headboard.

"You did, but I'm up now." Sasha replied quickly as she familiar tingling in her throat again, swallowing a quick drink of water, hoping to stave off a coughing fit, but to no avail.

"It didn't go as well as you thought it would go?" She asked him once she had stopped coughing.

"No." Tom answered with a deep sighed and as he met her gaze. Sasha could tell that admitting it didn't go well was hard for him, but she could tell there was something else.

"So are you here to break up with me or do you want to talk about it?" She asked, but she Immediatley regretted her first question, noting his shocked expression

"No, I'm not going to break up with you." Tom replied quickly. "Where is this even coming from? I told you we will figure this out together and we will make it work."

"Good." Sasha exhaled deeply as for a moment she really thought that he was here to end their relationship. "So how did it go?"

And then Tom told her everything that had happened.

"… but I still want you come over for dinner once you're feeling better." He told her as he finished recounting his conversation with the kids.

"Are you sure about that? Because from what you've told me Ashley…" Sasha started but Tom stopped her.

"Ashley needs time which I will give her, but I think it's the best if she gets to know you and gets used to you being around and maybe it will change her mind." Tom explained his view of the situation.

"Or she will hate me forever." Sasha replied as got a feeling that Tom's dinner plan wouldn't work out as he wants it to be.

"She won't hate you. She just needs time to get used to the new situation and by the way Sam is already excited to meet you so not everyone shares Ash's viewpoint." Tom chuckled softly

"Really?" Sasha asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, but I have to warn you because I might have told him about your archery skills so he might ask you to teach him." Tom told her, smiling

"Oh you didn't?" Sasha raised her voice causing herself to cough again. "You can't be serious. I haven't shot an arrow in ages. I can't even remember how it works."

"Really?" Tom inquired, his tone indicating he doubted the truth of that statement. "Haven't you told me once that shooting an arrow is like shooting a gun?"

"I did." Sasha replied with a smile as she recalled the one time that she had taken him to archery stands on a date.

"Told you." Tom replied with a smirk on his lips because he knew that she was thinking about that date.

"You're unbelievable." Sasha rolled her eyes as she cupped his face with her hand. "When do you have to leave?" She asked while she caressed his cheek with her hand.

"Briefing is at 9 so I can make you breakfast or we could sleep." Tom suggested but Sasha quickly drew in for tender kiss.

"Or we could do that." Tom tilted his head once their lips parted again. "I knew you would like that." Sasha giggled against his lips before he leaned in and kissed her again.

"I did" Tom replied softly, deepening the kiss, enjoying this precious time alone with the woman he was coming to love more and more every day.


End file.
